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James Winton, Ph.D.

Jim works with scientists, technicians, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students and visiting scientists working to improve methods for the detection of fish pathogens, determine factors affecting the epidemiology of fish diseases, and develop novel control strategies for reducing losses among both hatchery-reared and wild fish.

Research Interests          

Infectious diseases of fish, fish cell and tissue culture, molecular taxonomy and epidemiology of fish pathogens, ecology of fish diseases in wild populations.

Mentorship/Outreach

  • 1995 to Present - Professor (Affiliate Faculty), University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA
  • 1983-1986 - Assistant Professor, Oregon State University, Department of Microbiology, Corvallis, OR

Professional Experience

  • 2017 to Present - Senior Scientists, Emeritus

  • 1996-2017 - Chief, Fish Health Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 1995 to Present - Professor (Affiliate Faculty), University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA

  • 1986-1996 - Project Leader, Infectious Diseases of Fish. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 1983-1986 - Assistant Professor, Oregon State University, Department of Microbiology, Corvallis, OR

  • 1984 to Present - Canadian Fish Health Official - International shipments of salmonid fish and gametes

  • 1981 to Present - U.S. Title 50 Inspector - International shipments of salmonid fish and gametes

  • 2010 - Pacific Salmon Commission - Invited expert to panel investigating Fraser River sockeye declines

  • 1991-2000 - Office International des Epizooties (OIE), Paris - Elected to Fish Diseases Commission

  • 1990-2003 - American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) - Animal Virus Advisory Group

  • 1988-2000 - International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) - Reovirus Study Group

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. 1981. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

  • B.A. 1967. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science

  • American Society for Microbiology

  • American Fisheries Society

  • European Association of Fish Pathologists

  • Japanese Society of Fish Pathologists

  • Wildlife Disease Association

Honors and Awards

  • 2015 - Senior Scientist – U.S. Geological Survey

  • 2006 - Department of Interior Distinguished Service Award

  • 2000 - American Fisheries Society Fish Health Section S. F. Snieszko Distinguished Service Award

  • 1999 - Department of Interior Meritorious Service Award

Science and Products

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Filter Total Items: 164

Pufferfish mortality associated with novel polar marine toxins in Hawaii

Fish die-offs are important signals in tropical marine ecosystems. In 2010, a mass mortality of pufferfish in Hawaii (USA) was dominated by Arothron hispidus showing aberrant neurological behaviors. Using pathology, toxinology, and field surveys, we implicated a series of novel, polar, marine toxins as a likely cause of this mass mortality. Our findings are striking in that (1) a marine...
Authors
Thierry M. Work, Perer D. R. Moeller, Kevin R. Beauchesne, Julie Dagenais, Renee Breeden, Robert Rameyer, Willliam A. Walsh, Melanie Abecassis, Donald R. Kobayashi, Carla M. Conway, James R Winton
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Molecular characterization of a novel orthomyxovirus from rainbow and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

A novel virus, rainbow trout orthomyxovirus (RbtOV), was isolated in 1997 and again in 2000 from commercially-reared rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Idaho, USA. The virus grew optimally in the CHSE-214 cell line at 15°C producing a diffuse cytopathic effect; however, juvenile rainbow trout exposed to cell culture-grown virus showed no mortality or gross pathology. Electron...
Authors
William N. Batts, Scott E. LaPatra, Ryan Katona, Eric M. Leis, Terry Fei Fan Ng, Marine S.O. Bruieuc, Rachel B. Breyta, Maureen Purcell, Thomas B. Waltzek, Eric Delwart, James R Winton
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

In memoriam - William Toshio (Tosh) Yasutake, 1922-2016

William Toshio (Tosh) Yasutake, 1922-2016 passed away peacefully at home on December 12, 2016, at the age of 94. He is survived by Fumi, his wife of 66 years, as well as four children and six grandchildren. With his death, the fish health community has lost an outstanding scientist as well as a kind, unassuming, and wonderful human being. Tosh was born on June 10, 1922, in Seattle...
Authors
Diane Elliott, James R Winton
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Identification of the major capsid protein of erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV) and development of quantitative real-time PCR assays for quantification of ENV DNA

Viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) is a disease of marine and anadromous fish that is caused by the erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV), which was recently identified as a novel member of family Iridoviridae by next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of the ENV DNA polymerase grouped ENV with other erythrocytic iridoviruses from snakes and lizards. In the present study, we...
Authors
Maureen Purcell, Schuyler B. Pearman-Gillman, Rachel L. Thompson, Jacob L. Gregg, Lucas Hart, James R Winton, Eveline Emmenegger, Paul K Hershberger
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Potential drivers of virulence evolution in aquaculture

Infectious diseases are economically detrimental to aquaculture, and with continued expansion and intensification of aquaculture, the importance of managing infectious diseases will likely increase in the future. Here, we use evolution of virulence theory, along with examples, to identify aquaculture practices that might lead to the evolution of increased pathogen virulence. We identify...
Authors
David M. Kennedy, Gael Kurath, Ilana L. Brito, Maureen Purcell, Andrew F. Read, James R Winton, Andrew R. Wargo
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

2.2.2 Erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome

No abstract available.
Authors
James R Winton, Maureen Purcell
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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